


Doesn't Even Know It Yet

by LonelySparrow



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dad!Niall, Kid!Harry, M/M, dad!zayn, harry is niall's child, i probably never will, sort of, this is part of a longer fic that I hope to one day complete
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 21:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5308076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelySparrow/pseuds/LonelySparrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of a longer fic that I hope to eventually write/finish.<br/>Niall and Zayn are woken by crying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doesn't Even Know It Yet

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little part. I haven't posted in a real long time and I'm in a bit of a rut. Hoping this brings me out of it. Part of a longer installment that I will eventually write. 
> 
> Some details to note: Harry is not really Niall's son. Niall is now his legal, official guardian after his parents passed away. Harry was a baby when this happened, so he really only knows Niall as his dad and often refers to him as Dad, Daddy, etc. Niall and Zayn have been dating for a while and moved in with each other about two or three months ago.

“Daddy!”

Niall blinks awake so fast the blood rushes to his head when he sits up. He tries to get a bearing on his surroundings, but he was in such a deep sleep he’s mostly disoriented. Another sob reaches his ears before he kicks off the sheets and removes Zayn’s arm from around his hip. The sleeping man beside him reaches out and curls a fist in Niall’s t-shirt, though.

“Come back to bed, babe,” Zayn mumbles, rolling closer to the space Niall has just vacated. 

A shrill, petrified scream bounces off the walls and Zayn sits up and pulls on a t-shirt before Niall can even reply. Niall’s never heard Harry cry so loud before. It makes his eyes water and his chest thump painfully when he sprints down the hall toward his son’s room. 

When he rounds the corner, he feels his fingers shake. Harry’s sitting in his bed, sheets pulled up to his chin as he wails softly in the dark. The Iron Man nightlight glows softly from its place in the wall.

Niall wraps the boy up in his arms and kisses his hair.

“Harry, baby, what’s wrong?” Niall asks him. He sits down on the bed, seven-year-old still clutched in his arms and pulls Harry’s blanket around his shoulders. 

“Daddy!” He wails continuously.

“Harry, shh, Harry. You’re okay, I’m right here. Right here, love.” 

“Where’s Zayn!? Where’s Zayn! I want Zayn!” Harry cries. Niall looks over his shoulder to find Zayn leaning in the doorway, arms folded across his chest and his brow creased with worry.

Zayn steps into the room and sits beside them. He holds his arms out for Harry, and the small boy crawls into his arms and buries his face in his neck. Zayn shivers when Harry’s little curls brush his neck, but he continuously rubs circles on the boy’s back until the crying quiets into small hiccups.

Zayn’s throwing worried glances over Harry’s shoulder, but Niall’s making heart eyes and mooning at Zayn holding his kid. Zayn rolls his eyes and makes a face, directing the attention back to the hiccupping boy.

“Harry, tell me what’s wrong, babes. Did you have a bad dream? It’s okay. We’re right here. Daddy and I are right here.” 

“Yes. Yes. I had a dream. I had a bad dream,” Harry cries. His fists are pressed to his eyes and tears dribble down his cheeks.

“You left us, Zayn. You left me and Daddy. Daddy was so sad and we couldn’t find you. And a big shark bit you and you didn’t like me anymore and there was a big dinosaur trying to eat my Daddy and I was so scared. Don’t leave us. Don’t leave me. I don’t want you to leave us. I love you.” 

Zayn’s heartbeat flutters in his chest. Harry had never said he loved Zayn before. He frequently told him he liked him, but he’s never told him he loved him before. Zayn didn’t expect him to. Harry was just a baby when he lost both of his parents. Niall was his godfather and Harry was placed under his guardianship. Harry’s only ever known Niall and only ever loved Niall. And that’s fine with him. Harry can take all the time he needs to come to love Zayn, too. 

Zayn wraps his arms tighter around Harry.

“Harry, love, I’m not going to leave you or your daddy. I love you. Daddy and I love you very, very much. Remember when we talked about this? I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be with you and your dad for a long time, babes. And you don’t have to worry about sharks. I don’t know how to swim, babes. And dinosaurs won’t eat your daddy because they aren’t around anymore okay? I love you, Harry and I’m not going anywhere I promise.”

Harry nodded his little head, fat, silent tears still spilling down his cheeks. He held out his pinky finger and whispered, “Promise?”

Zayn smiles softly at Niall and holds out his pinky for Harry.

“Can you stay with me?” Harry asks him. 

“Sure, why don’t you come cuddle with me and daddy?” Zayn asks him. Harry nods and Zayn picks him up, balancing the boy on his hip. Niall grabs Harry’s favorite Spiderman blanket and wraps it around Harry’s shoulders.

“Groar!” Harry cries, reaching out toward the bed. Niall laughs and picks up the stuffed stegosaurus that his son affectionately named Groar. Zayn bought the dinosaur for Harry when they made a trip to the local museum. Niall can still remember how tightly Harry clung to Zayn’s legs for the rest of the day. 

They nestle Harry in the middle of the bed, Zayn climbing in on his right side while Niall crawls in on his left. Harry wraps himself in his Spiderman blanket and tucks Groar under his arms.

“I love you, Daddy. I love you, Zayn.” Harry whispers in the dark, reaching out to pat both of their cheeks. 

Zayn kisses his forehead and then Niall’s, too. He pets at Harry’s curls until the boy’s breathing evens out. Zayn smiles down at his boy and reaches for Niall’s hand across the bed. Niall’s got tears in his eyes and he’s whimpering softly into his pillow. Zayn’s not sure he’s ever seen him cry before.

“Babe? Babes, what’s wrong? Niall? Nialler?”

“He said he loves you, Zayn. He loves you. We’re a proper family.” Niall hiccups, crying eerily similarly to the way Harry had been just minutes before. It’s incredibly cute all the same.

“Niall, love, I think we’ve been a proper family since I moved in a few months ago.” He brushes the tears off Niall’s cheeks with his thumb.

“I know, but it just hit me. I don’t know. We’re a family, Zayn. He’s yours and mine. We’re a family,” Niall whispers.

“I know we are love. And we’re going to be for a very long time. I love you.” 

“Love you, too.”

“Now go to sleep, someone’s got to wake up in the morning and make us eggy bread. He’ll be in a proper strop if you don’t.” Zayn grins at him and Niall huffs out a soft laugh. They curl closer around the sleeping boy.


End file.
